The impending disintegration of the Arroyo regime is evidenced by its resort to intimidation, bureaucratic repression, and death squads. It is bound to implode in one big catastrophic upheaval that will unleash indiscriminate violence and dehumanizing abuses symptomatic of the advanced decay of the bankrupt neocolonial system. By E. SAN JUAN, Jr. Philippines Cultural Studies…
Day: September 16, 2006
Self-serving Interests at Stake in Cha-Cha
The advocates of constitutional change, most especially former President Fidel Ramos, House speaker Jose De Venecia and President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, cannot claim to be sincere adherents of constitutional principles when their track record in governance says otherwise. BY THE POLICY STUDY, PUBLICATIONS AND ADVOCACY (PSPA) PROGRAM Center for People Empowerment in Governance (CenPEG) Posted by…
Baguio City: The New Korean Province?
In Baguio, the influx of Korean nationals has caught some attention. Baguio now is host to almost 10,000 Koreans. At first, only teenagers came here to study the English language. Most of them stayed for two months during their vacation from school in Korea. Then they started to study full-time in Baguio universities. Before long…
IBP-NL Condemns Killing of Apayao Comelec Head
The local and regional chapters of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) condemned the ambush that killed a Commission on Elections (Comelec) official in Apayao on Thursday, Sept. 7, even as the Comelec regional director moved to coordinate with the police to immediately solve the case. Lawyer Julius Angadol, 35, Comelec provincial supervisor in…
On the Roll – but Until When?
After junking the second impeachment complaint by sheer number of votes of the majority coalition, the Macapagal Arroyo administration is now ramming through its charter change initiative. Striking while the iron is hot, the administration is throwing all caution into the air to steam-roll its agenda. BY BENJIE OLIVEROS Bulatlat.com The Macapagal-Arroyo administration and its…
Where Do We Go from Here?’:Grief and grime in Guimaras
‘The teeming seas gave a fisherman’s family a daily livelihood of PhP600 ($11.88) until the oil crept into their coastal village and changed their lives overnight. “Where do we go from here?” he cried. BY JR NEREUS ACOSTA Contributed to Bulatlat.com Aboard a Coast Guard helicopter, the aerial view of Guimaras and its lush islets…
Palparan’s Path: Trail of Blood, Child Victims
When he exits the military service this Sept. 11, Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan, Jr. leaves behind a long list of victims of human rights violations in the areas where he was assigned. Based on his declarations in various media interviews, he will perhaps even give a hearty laugh should his record be described as a…
Growth Outlook Glosses over Low Wages
More than the reported 5.5 percent growth in the local output, statistics on wages are more reflective of the economic situation. It would do well for government to address the fundamental problems besetting the poor instead of spreading misguided optimism just to win over the hearts and minds of the Filipino people. BY DANILO ARAÑA…
A State of Siege, a Reign of Fear
Today, the number of political activists and critics killed and missing has surpassed several times over the number of suspected ASG members killed or captured. The “war on terror” has given the government an excuse to go after legal people’s organizations, to suppress legitimate political dissent and threaten the citizens’ civil and political rights. BY…
OFWs: Abandoned in War Zones, Ignored at Home
Overseas Filipino workers are dubbed as “modern-day heroes” by government. Rightly so, because their remittances prop up the economy by bringing in the much-needed dollars and stimulating domestic consumer spending. They are also “modern-day heroes” because they risk life and limb just to provide a decent income for their families. The sad part about being…
OFWs: Abandoned in War Zones, Ignored at Home
Overseas Filipino workers are dubbed as “modern-day heroes” by government. Rightly so, because their remittances prop up the economy by bringing in the much-needed dollars and stimulating domestic consumer spending. They are also “modern-day heroes” because they risk life and limb just to provide a decent income for their families. The sad part about being…